Letter to the editor of the Post-Dispatch, published 9/21/09:

Regarding "Chesterfield accepts 141 work, tries to limit impact" (Sept. 13): Here are some questions that everyone should be asking about the Highway 141 project:

— What health problems will occur from routing a six-lane highway directly over an open source for our drinking water?

— How was the Missouri Department of Transportation able to use an expired environmental assessment that doesn't include any newer development?

— What will happen when construction stirs up toxic chemicals in the soil and creek from Parkway's non-regulated reclamation facility?

— Why isn't the mayor insisting an environmental impact statement be done?

— There are legal appeals and lawsuits pending, so what happens when the deadlines for federal funding can't be met?

— St. Louis County and MoDOT have not acquired all the land needed; how are they able to start construction and how much land are they planning to condemn and take by eminent domain?

— How can they start construction when all permits needed are not secured?

— Do Chesterfield residents know they are paying $15 million for this extension, $10 million for prettier bricks and $5 million for the northern section of the road itself. That is on top of the money they are paying as a resident of the county. How much more are we going to take? The mayor of Chesterfield tells us not to fight because that makes it easier for him, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't fight. The question isn't why we would fight; it's why wouldn't we?

Kim Cuddeback — Maryland Heights
Co-founder, Maryland Heights Residents for Responsible Growth

Mayor John Nations against Chesterfield

From the Post-Dispatch: Chesterfield mayor on the front lines of Highway 141

Nations, you don't get it. Residents don't want the project stopped. What they want is due process.

Building a 6-lane elevated highway on top of and through high-quality wetlands, demolishing a homestead that's eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, blowing off warnings from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, not conducting an Environmental Impact Study, beginning work without permits and without all right-of-way acquisitions completed, spending much, much more money than is necessary ($72 MILLION FOR FIVE MILES) ----- this is absolutely irresponsible, Mayor.

Lies

Crews have been starting extremely loud work on the bluffs of River Bend Estates at 4:40 a.m. This work has awoken residents and children one-quarter and one-half mile away from the work site.

No one has permission to work on River Bend Estates property.

St. Louis County states that MSD is doing utility work for the new 141. MSD, when inquired about this, says MSD is not doing work in the area at all - that it's the County doing the work.

Also, MoDot contributed to the untruths by issuing the following press release:

Traffic Alert: Utility grading work starts Tuesday for Hwy. 141 project
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and its contractor, Dave Kolb
Grading, starts grading work in preparation for the Hwy. 141 relocation project
that begins early next year.
Crews will start grading north of Olive Blvd. near Woodchase on Sept. 8 to prepare for utility relocations needed as part of a project to upgrade and move Hwy. 141 further east.
The center turn lane of Olive Blvd. will be closed near Woodchase and just east of Toreador; however, drivers at those locations will be able to access Olive Blvd. Drivers can expect heavy truck traffic crossing Olive Blvd. Crews will not be working on the roadway between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. weekdays, and 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekends to minimize noise for local residents.
The $742,000 job will excavate north of Olive Blvd., build an embankment south of Olive and generally grade the area south of Olive to prepare for utility work. The project is funded using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (economic stimulus) money.
Plan ahead to avoid work zones by calling 1-888-ASK-MODOT or visiting modot.org.